Nicole Allen (front) is the official spokesperson of the Central Canada Women’s Football League. She’s seen here with others in an image that is to be used as a promotional poster for the women’s tackle football league.

Sports Stuff: Local face fronts new football league

Sports StuffBy Ned Bekavac

The face of a new women’s tackle football league is likely a familiar one to local football fans, and certainly is to players and staff.

Nicole Allen has been named the official spokesperson of the Central Canada Women’s Football League, a women’s tackle league which was founded early this year.

Allen is a fixture on the sidelines of football games in town – and you’ll frequently find her on the field as well, when there are injuries.

A certified athletic therapist with the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association and the Ontario Athletic Therapist Association, she has worked with the University of Guelph Gryphons football team (and the school’s women’s volleyball and women’s rugby teams).

She works District 10 high school football games, and her resume includes work with the Toronto Argonauts, Guelph varsity football, Team Ontario Football, along with other organizations and other sports.

Allen has played rugby, soccer and field hockey, but never football. That hasn’t stopped her from loving the gridiron game, though.

“I’ve always been drawn to football, like no other sport, it has a great family feel, the support staff is great and anyone and everyone can play,” she said, in an introductory article on the league’s web site.

The league is scheduled to kick off in 2015, with four teams.

The towns the teams are calling home have yet to be announced, but teams for the first season sound headed for the Hamilton-Burlington area, Mississauga, the Scarborough-Toronto area, and in York Region.

The league is currently looking for players and coaches for its inaugural season.

To sign up, or for more information, visit www.ccwfl.ca, email info@ccwfl.ca or call 416-509-6079.

The local athlete has committed to the St. Catharines school and will represent them in not just one, but two sports.
Bradey, a graduate of Guelph CVI – where he earned a handful of Athlete of the Year honours – will land at the university this coming season as a member of both the Badgers’ soccer and curling teams.

A star skip on the curling sheets, Bradey will add to the defensive depth of the Brock soccer team, says its head coach.

“We are thrilled that Eric has chosen to become a two-sport athlete at Brock,” said Brock soccer head coach Bill Millar, in a statement.

“He will certainly add depth to our defensive core next year. He is a strong tackler, reads the game well and is very efficient in dealing with head balls.”

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A few former rugby Gryphons and their current coach are representing Canada at the women’s World Cup in France.